When is a watch considered to be too worn.

[jove14]

That's the question I am asking about a Seiko 7S26-0040 automatic a divers watch I bought for just a few pounds on a local car boot sale, BC or Before Covid.
I took it to my local jeweller who sent it away for what we both thought would just be a service, I must point out it wasn't working when I bought it.
Before he sent it he removed the back, the balance wheel was spinning freely as was the rotor but there were signs of water ingress.
I still sent it anyway thinking a good service would sort it out and I would have another good watch.
When it came back he showed me what the watch repairer had wrote on the envelope.
"Very worn cant be done"
So when is a watch considered to be too worn to be repaired?
If it's not repairable does anyone know where there is a movement for this watch as I am not going to chuck it out, I like the look of this watch.
Joe.

 

[Dan S]

I often hear watchmakers saying this when it's not economically feasible to repair the watch because they would need to find so many replacement parts. Have you explored the possibility of a repair by Seiko? It would be possible, but also not cheap.

[Edit] Since these watches appear to sell for about $100, the easiest thing might be to buy one on eBay and transplant the movement or use the parts to repair yours. Still, I'm not sure it's economical for such an inexpensive watch.

 

[JwRosenthal]

Or perhaps just buy an entirely new movement. Many of these Seiko movements (depending on model) are easily available.

 

[Dan S]

JwRosenthal

Or perhaps just buy an entirely new movement. Many of these Seiko movements (depending on model) are easily available.

This looks like the movement. The one on eBay is cheaper, and would be $83 including shipping. Esslinger has more credibility obviously, but the price is $89 + shipping. Keep in mind that these movements may have been sitting around for a while, so they still might need to be serviced.

https://www.esslinger.com/genuine-s...ement-7s26-date-at-3-00-overall-height-7-2mm/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/152700118849?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

 

[JwRosenthal]

Dan S

This looks like the movement. The one on eBay is cheaper, and would be $83 including shipping. Esslinger has more credibility obviously, but the price is $89 + shipping. Keep in mind that these movements may have been sitting around for a while, so they still might need to be serviced.

https://www.esslinger.com/genuine-s...ement-7s26-date-at-3-00-overall-height-7-2mm/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/152700118849?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

Good detective work!
Are Seiko movements date coded? I would think Esslinger moves a pretty high volume of them and if there is a date code within the last couple years, OP would know how long it’s been sitting around and if it needs a service. Obviously it would need to be installed and regulated by someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[TDBK]

The 7S26 movement is commonly used in Seiko mods, I would guess they flow through the channel pretty quickly.

 

[jove14]

Hi.

Dan S

This looks like the movement. The one on eBay is cheaper, and would be $83 including shipping. Esslinger has more credibility obviously, but the price is $89 + shipping. Keep in mind that these movements may have been sitting around for a while, so they still might need to be serviced.

https://www.esslinger.com/genuine-s...ement-7s26-date-at-3-00-overall-height-7-2mm/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/152700118849?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

Many Thanks for that, I will have to study them and see which is best.
Joe.

 

[ghce]

jove14

That's the question I am asking about a Seiko 7S26-0040 automatic a divers watch I bought for just a few pounds on a local car boot sale, BC or Before Covid.
I took it to my local jeweller who sent it away for what we both thought would just be a service, I must point out it wasn't working when I bought it.
Before he sent it he removed the back, the balance wheel was spinning freely as was the rotor but there were signs of water ingress.
I still sent it anyway thinking a good service would sort it out and I would have another good watch.
When it came back he showed me what the watch repairer had wrote on the envelope.
"Very worn cant be done"
So when is a watch considered to be too worn to be repaired?
If it's not repairable does anyone know where there is a movement for this watch as I am not going to chuck it out, I like the look of this watch.
Joe.

I have heard this previously and this is usually just the watch repairers excuse for too difficult for either his skills or his perceived economics of repair.

There is always a way to preserve the original movement be it by donor parts from another watch or using true watch making skills.

I have many ex basket cases in my collection that are now in excellent working health, mainly because I didn't accept the "cant be done" verdict.

But in regards to Seiko movements they do seem to litter the planet and the ethos of many Seiko collectors (and modders) is just plunk another new movement in. That is not my take on preserving originality and just just not my style however I have on one occasion found a new old stock movement to effect a watch revival ( just to keep my long suffering WM from having to build a new balance wheel).

Edited: Feb 26, 2022

 

[sleepyastronaut]

Dan S

[Edit] Since these watches appear to sell for about $100, the easiest thing might be to buy one on eBay and transplant the movement or use the parts to repair yours. Still, I'm not sure it's economical for such an inexpensive watch.

This looks like an SKX033. Watch charts gives a market average of $168 today. In honest condition, with no major damage, a genuine SKX033 in good working order might be worth double that.

Fratello has a piece on it's sibling with the monochrome bezel, the SKX031: https://www.fratellowatches.com/seiko-watches/tbt-seiko-skx031-diver/

The "Made in Japan" dial signature is pretty nifty, and It looks killer on a bracelet, but I have some reservations about authenticity. This dial should have a applied ring at the window, the lume looks off, and the hands looks wrong. I think this should have a fine knurled crown as well.

Pics of the movement and water damage?



Pic from https://uhrforum.de/threads/seiko-skx033-diver-japan-ausfuehrung-saphirglas.261386/

 

[BAJJ]

I imagine what he meant was it was "beyond economical repair" that is, it would cost far more to repair than the actual value of the watch.

 

[ChrisN]

ghce

I have heard this previously and this is usually just the watch repairers excuse for too difficult for either his skills or his perceived economics of repair.

There is always a way to preserve the original movement be it by donor parts from another watch or using true watch making skills.

Who is going to spend many hours at £100/hour to make parts for a Seiko 7S26? Or, who is going to pay for this, unless it's a watch with significant sentimental value? This was bought for a "few pounds" so just a possible cheap wearable watch?

A brand new 7S26 movement (that may need a service) is about £85 in UK. Just swap the movement and it's £150 all in, hopefully. If it had a serial number on the movement, then obviously that's different but this is just a cheapish Seiko so let's not get into real watchmaking... As @Dan S has found, these movements are not expensive.

I hope the OP gets what he wants.

Cheers, Chris

 

[Archer]

ChrisN

Who is going to spend many hours at £100/hour to make parts for a Seiko 7S26? Or, who is going to pay for this, unless it's a watch with significant sentimental value? This was bought for a "few pounds" so just a possible cheap wearable watch?

A brand new 7S26 movement (that may need a service) is about £85 in UK. Just swap the movement and it's £150 all in, hopefully. If it had a serial number on the movement, then obviously that's different but this is just a cheapish Seiko so let's not get into real watchmaking... As @Dan S has found, these movements are not expensive.

I hope the OP gets what he wants.

Cheers, Chris

One reason I stopped even bothering to price out Seiko servicing when asked, is because whenever I'd reply to an email with my price, there would be either nothing but the sound of crickets, or someone would come back saying "I can buy a movement for less than half of that!" So I don't even bother now, because no one wants to pay what a general service costs, let alone pay for parts fabrication.

It's usually the wallet of the customer that decides these things, not the watchmaker...